I'm from Ontario, so during the time I went to Montreal, Chatime was running a promotion of buy 2 drinks, get a purple pocket for Chinese New Year.
I walked into this very small chatime location (you don't even get room to do the splits), and asked the cashier if they were also doing the purple pocket and the cashier didn't know what I was talking about so I said that's fine maybe they just don't do it here. I then ordered my usual Pearl Milk Tea and tried to pay with my Chatime gift card which the cashier initially took from my hand, looked confused, and then asked her colleagues whether or not they accepted gift cards. She returned the card to me and said sorry they don't take gift cards, and then as I went to grab cash, I handed her my rewards card which they also didn't take. Lol! After the 3 rejections, one of her colleagues making the drinks comes up and says to me "the Chatimes here are local so we don't take those things". I then took a step back to let other customers order as I reviewed their menu. They had something that Ontario's Chatimes don't, which is Thai Milk Tea! I ordered that, no ice, 80% sugar, with tapioca and I loveddd it. I wish we had it back here in Ontario's Chatimes! The flavour is different and its very refreshing.
Service was patient and friendly but the 1 star loss was that I was unable to poke through the plastic covering my drink. Their cashier then took a long metal utensil and stabbed the plastic. But here I am, watching her grab this utensil out of the blue so I'm not sure where that has been or what it has touched before. Unsanitary?...or is it my paranoia?
Regardless I loved the drink, the location, and service. The next time i visit Montreal, I'm definitely giving thia Chatime another go!